Kelly the hero as Dundalk FC keep treble dream alive with late win over Derry City

Extra.ie FAI Cup second round

Derry City 2-3 Dundalk FC (AET)

Georgie Kelly rose from the bench to keep Dundalk FC’s treble dream alive with a 117th-minute header to edge the holders past Derry City 3-2, after a pulsating Extra.ie FAI Cup last-16 clash at The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on Friday night.

Dundalk were fired up from the first whistle, biting at Derry’s heels. The hosts’ right-hand side was targeted by the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division leaders, with the energetic Seán Murray a star in the first half.

Murray is nearing full fitness and he displayed some of his early-season form for Vinny Perth’s side, who almost capitalised on a moment of fortune in the 14th minute.

Midfielder Murray was at the centre of it, with his left-wing cross putting Eoin Toal under pressure, but as he sliced his clearance, captain Patrick Hoban could not take advantage as Derry survived.

The Candystripes did come out of their shell, a little, but they were put back in it by Dundalk’s deserved lead goal past the half-hour.

The Cup holders worked the ball well in tight spaces down the left once again. This time, it came back to Daniel Cleary towards the right, with his early cross met by a looping Daniel Kelly cross which deceived everybody as it hit the back of the net.

The second half started at a blistering pace as Peter Cherrie quickly denied Hoban and Seán Gannon with a fabulous double save.

Michael McCrudden and Michael Duffy then went close at either end before Derry equalised through their skipper Greg Sloggett who powered in after a delightful flick from McCrudden.

Dundalk, though, responded in perfect fashion and they regained their lead in the 53rd minute when the ball dropped to Cleary who blasted in from close range.

However, there was a late sting in the tail of normal time for Dundalk as substitute Darren McCauley nipped in at the near post to poke past Gary Rogers.

Derry hit the crossbar through substitute Ciaron Harkin in injury-time, and then in the first half of extra-time Cherrie came to his side’s rescue with a super save from Seán Hoare.

However, Dundalk head coach Vinny Perth cleared the stage for Georgie Kelly, who replaced Hoban in the 109th minute, and it was the Donegal man who was the hero with his header sending the holders into the quarter-finals.

Perth had a number of calls to make in his starting XI for what he had described as “probably the hardest draw” in the second-round pot.

Returning-to-form Patrick McEleney and John Mountney were left on the bench – along with experienced centre-half Andy Boyle – as Perth favoured Murray and Daniel Kelly, as Cleary partnered Hoare at the heart of the defence.

It was a side showing a total of four changes from Monday’s 6-1 win over Bohemians in the EA SPORTS Cup semi-final at Oriel Park, with goalkeeper Gary Rogers among the quartet recalled.

Midfield pair Jordan Flores and Robbie Benson underwent an intense pre-match workout with strength and conditioning coach Graham Norton as they near a return to fitness.

Derry’s top goalscorer David Parkhouse also did some fitness work as he was forced out of this tie through suspension. However, The Candystripes were able to welcome Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe back into their team following injury.

Home boss Declan Devine made three changes from their last outing, a 2-0 home league defeat by Shamrock Rovers, as Junior, McCrudden and Grant Gillespie all came in – replacing Parkhouse, Barry McNamee and Ciaron Harkin. McCrudden led the Derry line.

Dundalk started brightly but there was an early worry when Hoban went down with a head injury after a sixth-minute clash with Derry captain Sloggett, but he was thankfully soon back on his feet.

The league leaders could have hit the front fortuitously approaching the quarter-hour when Toal made a mess of attempting to clear Murray’s cross into the six-yard box, but Hoban could not turn the ball in from close range.

Derry were little threat in the opening 18 minutes but Junior’s mazy run almost then opened the door only for his strike from the edge of the box to be blocked, with McCrudden’s follow-up tame and easy for Rogers.

Dundalk were well on top, although the hosts did appear to have weathered the storm with a brief response in visiting territory. However, it was short-lived, as The Lilywhites found the lead in the 33rd minute.

They had been constantly looking for a way through down the left, but this time it was worked back towards the right. Cleary picked up possession and crossed for Kelly whose looping header appeared to be going over the target only to end up in the back of the net.

Dundalk could have added to that before the break after a marauding run from Dane Massey, with Hoban involved to set up Jamie McGrath but he was well blocked off.

The second half began franticly, with Cherrie – just seconds after the restart – producing a double save to stop Hoban and Gannon from making it 2-0.

Derry were almost level in the 48th minute when Jamie McDonagh raced down the right and his cross was punched by Rogers against McCrudden, with the ball luckily bouncing wide.

Immediately at the other end, Hoban played in Duffy but, from a tight angle, his route to goal was cut off.

Dundalk made it 1-1 in the 51st minute when McCrudden’s flick in the box left Sloggett with just Rogers to beat and the former UCD midfielder made no mistake with the finish.

However, Dundalk were straight back on the attack and they restored their lead when Duffy floated in a corner which fell to Cleary in the six-yard box and he rifled the ball to the roof of the net from close in.

Junior’s header from a McDonagh free-kick was collected by Rogers soon after, but Derry were clearly rocked by Dundalk’s quick reply to their leveller.

Mountney was introduced before the hour-mark and he was soon followed on by McEleney, with Derry bringing in McCauley and McNamee – after Sloggett was stretchered off – in a bid to stay in the Cup.

Dundalk almost put the tie to bed in the 78th minute when McEleney fed Hoban whose shot was pushed away by Cherrie into the path of Gannon whose shot flew wide.

Derry’s management team and supporters felt aggrieved by the performance of referee Robert Harvey, and backed by growing noise in the stands, they conjured up an equaliser in the 84th minute.

An advantage was played by Harvey, allowing McDonagh to get down the right and swing in a cross which Rogers appeared set to gather, only for McCauley to nip in and score.

Derry could have won it in injury-time when another substitute, Harkin drifted to the back post and his looping header bounced off the top of the crossbar to Rogers’ relief.

The pace of the game died down in extra-time, but Dundalk went close in the 103rd minute when Chris Shields was the driving force behind winning a corner. Duffy delivered but Hoare’s powerful header was brilliantly blocked on the line by Cherrie.

Dundalk were then denied what they felt was a penalty when McEleney went down, but the Derry native was booked for diving.

With 109 minutes on the clock, Perth made a big call by taking off Hoban for Kelly, but it was a decision which paid dividends as the striker got on the end of another Cleary cross to plant a low header beyond Cherrie.

Dundalk are now into the last eight, but there was a big shock on the night as Cork City – who they have faced in the last four FAI Cup finals – suffered a shock exit to First Division strugglers Galway United.

St. Patrick’s Athletic, meanwhile, were dumped out by lowly UCD, who Dundalk twice tackle in the league next week.

Derry City: Peter Cherrie; Darren Cole, Eoin Toal, Ally Gilchrist, Ciarán Coll; Gerardo Bruna (Jack Malone 100), Grant Gillespie (Ciaron Harkin 82); Jamie McDonagh, Greg Sloggett (c) (Barry McNamee 70), Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe; Michael McCrudden (Darren McCauley 70)

Subs not used: Nathan Gartside (gk), Mark McChrystal, Aidy Delap

Dundalk FC: Gary Rogers; Seán Gannon, Daniel Cleary, Seán Hoare, Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Seán Murray (Patrick McEleney 70); Daniel Kelly (John Mountney 58), Jamie McGrath (Dean Jarvis 118), Michael Duffy; Patrick Hoban (c) (Georgie Kelly 109)

Subs not used: Aaron McCarey (gk), Brian Gartland, Dean Jarvis, Andy Boyle

Referee: Robert Harvey (Dublin)